A knock on Helena's bedroom door brought her out of her latest personal practice session against the panic attacks. "Come in."

Kai slowly opened the door.

"Hello, Kai."

"Hi."

"What's going on?"

"Um…I have…something to ask."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Uh…at school…I made a friend."

"You did? That's great news. I was worried about you adjusting. What's his name?"

"Elmer. He's very nice, but he's always very nervous around me because I'm a prince. So I invited him to the palace for tea. I want him to be more comfortable…and call me by my first name."

"I think that's a great idea."

"And…I want you to be there."

Helena's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"The professor, Bruno, Leonhard, and Licht will be there too. I'm…afraid I can't make conversation on my own. I'm still…not very good at it."

"Kai, I would be honored to join you. When is it?"

"In three days."

"Wonderful. I'll let Isabella know so she can escort me."

"Thank you."

"And Kai? Don't sell yourself so short. You're better at making conversation than you think."


Helena was surrounded by a wide and beautiful forest. When she looked down, she was standing on her own in a white flowing dress. She looked ahead of her at the dirt path that ran through the woods. In her bare feet, she took off running. The wind whipped through her hair and blew in her ears. She felt as if she could run for hours and never grow tired.

When the path ended, she came across a large pool of water. Though she wasn't hot from the long run, she gracefully dove into the water. Fish surrounded her and tickled her feet. She swam underwater for much longer than was normal yet she never felt the need to go to the surface to breathe. The beautiful crystal-clear liquid made her feel as light as air.


Helena's eyes opened as she awoke in her room. A sharp pang of disappointment hit her when she realized that activities such as running and swimming were things that could only occur in her dreams.

She attempted to shake off the unhappy feelings. After all, today was the big day.

It was the day Kai's friend was expected in the palace.

All of the staff and the princes alike were quite nervous. It was the first time a friend of one of the princes had ever come to the palace which made it a pretty important day.

Helena had to wear her usual day dress, but Isabella fixed up her hair a littler nicer so that she looked at least a little more presentable for their guest.

"Do I look all right?" Licht asked as he fiddled with his hair. "My hair isn't sticking up?"

"You are making too much of this," Bruno replied. "It is disgraceful."

"What?!"

Heine took off his hat and readjusted it on his head, fidgeting just like the rest of them.

"Well, look at that," Licht teased. "Teach is nervous too."

Heine put his sleeve to his mouth which made Helena smile as it made him look even younger than he already appeared to be.

"I must confess, I do not know what has come over me," Heine told them. "Prince Kai has made a friend. I am both pleased and restless."

"Look how deeply Master cares for his pupils!" Bruno gushed. "For his perfect composure to falter, truly, he is the epitome of an educator! Bravo, Master!"

Licht's eyes narrowed. "That's a far cry from what you said to me. So much for it being disgraceful."

A carriage appeared in the distance, it's wheels clacking along the pavement.

"Ah, he's here," Kai said.

"Get ready, everyone," Bruno told the awaiting palace staff. "Remember the plan."

"Yes, Your Highness!" one of the servants answered eagerly.

"Bruno, don't you think this is a bit much?" Helena asked.

"Nonsense!"

The carriage stopped in front of the palace. One of the servants went to open the door, and a young brown-haired man stepped out.

He was quite handsome and well-dressed, but he also looked extremely nervous and jittery. Kai wasn't wrong about how the poor boy acted around royalty.

"Ah! Prince Kai!" Elmer bowed deeply towards the elder prince. "Thank you terribly for your gracious invitation!"

"Elmer," Kai said quietly. "I've been looking forward to your visit. So has the rest of the palace."

On their cue, the servants released several doves into the air along with many flower petals. In Helena's opinion, that was not going to help this anxious kid feel any more relaxed.

"Welcome to Weisburg Palace!" they all said happily.

Elmer's face reddened in shock and embarrassment.

"This way, please, sir," a female servant smiled. "Your tea will be served in the courtyard."

Elmer followed the servant to their beautiful gazebo in the garden. "Wow," he remarked when he saw the gorgeous setting. "It's stunning."

The servants sat Elmer and the princes at the table. Isabella wheeled Helena to the place without a chair specifically set for her.

"Today's dessert is a Dobos torte," a servant told them, referring to the slice of the wonderful looking dessert on their plates. "Chocolate cream spread between layers of sponge cake and topped with caramel for a sweet, mature taste."

"Yay!" Leonhard exclaimed, looking ready to dive in. "Dessert! Dessert!"

"Please relax and enjoy."

"Leo, slow down!" Licht said to his brother when he saw how fast he was already eating his torte.

"Isabella, I think I'll be fine for the next couple of hours," Helena told her maid. "I'll have someone send for you when I'm ready. Until then, you may take a break."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Isabella said with a curtsey. She retreated into the palace along with the rest of the staff.

Kai nervously cleared his throat. "Anyway…there's cake. Help yourself. While you eat, I'll introduce everyone." He looked over at his brown-haired brother. "This is Bruno, the third-eldest prince."

Bruno put his hand to his chest and bowed his head. "Thank you for keeping company with my brother."

"Leonhard is my next-youngest brother."

Leonhard just stared back at him. Helena was pretty sure he was eyeing their guest's uneaten torte.

"Licht is my youngest brother."

"Why, hello!" Licht said with a wink.

"Helena is the eldest princess and my older sister."

Helena bowed her head as she smiled at him. "It's a pleasure to have you here."

Elmer's eyes widened a little. Wait, this is Princess Helena? he thought to himself. She's real? For someone who's been sick her whole life, she sure is beautiful. How old is she now anyway? I wonder if it's been hard to have to stay inside the palace her whole life.

Kai looked over at Heine. "And then there's—"

"Wait, one more younger brother?"

Helena put her hand to her mouth to hide her smile.

"I am a full-grown man, thank you very much," Heine told him indignantly. "I am Heine, the royal tutor."

"Really?! Beg pardon!"

"It's no biggie!" Licht laughed. "The mistake's so common, it's a customary part of the introductions!"

"Oh, um, I should introduce myself as well. I am Elmer von Bismarck. It's an honor to make your acquaintances!" He quickly became nervous again and started to babble, "My father is in the navy! I hope to be a stalwart military man myself one day! Oh, but we're a minor noble family, and I shouldn't be presumptuous."

Suddenly, Elmer began coughing though he tried to hide it to the best of his ability. Helena almost felt sorry for the poor boy. He looked petrified.

"Are you okay?" Kai asked.

"Excuse me. I was so preoccupied with properly introducing myself that I…"

"Just relax. We'll talk about something fun. Gorgeous weather today."

"Yes, indeed."

A long silence.

"I like sweets," Kai added.

"Yes, as do I!"

Helena grimaced. This was getting a little painful to watch. Kai looked over at his siblings and Heine and silently pleaded for help communicating with his new friend.

"'Scuse me!" Licht interjected. "I have a question." He smirked at Elmer. "So, Elmer, old chap, do you have a girlfriend? How far have you gone?"

Elmer blanched. "What?! How…far?!"

Helena's eyed widened. She slapped her youngest brother on the arm. "Licht! There are certain questions you do not ask people! Especially people you just met! Have you no decency?!"

"Helena is right!" Bruno admonished. "What the devil do you think you're doing?!"

"Aww, the topic of love is a surefire way to get a conversation rolling, isn't it?" Licht smiled.

"Is the topic love or lewd acts?" Heine asked flatly.

"What tripe," Bruno groaned. "We ought to converse on a more worthwhile subject." He turned to Elmer with a smile. "You said your father is in the navy? With this business of expanding the sea routes to the eastern continent in collaboration with Neterlanden progressing, I believe it is necessary to discuss the effects it will have on our navy and to reconsider our tactics. What is your opinion on the matter?"

Elmer looked even more panicked than before. "Huh? Uh, forgive me. My mind's gone blank. I'm so nervous that I can't find the words."

Helena smiled at him. "Elmer, please just ignore all that. Bruno is so academically smart that sometimes he doesn't exactly know how to talk to people."

"What?!" Bruno exclaimed. "I can talk to people."

"Bruno, what you just said was awful tea conversation. No one wants to think about those kinds of political matters at a friendly event such as this."

"I suppose you may have a point."

"You're all so kind to speak to a person of low standing such as myself," Elmer said quietly. "You've shown me such hospitality. And I've done nothing to deserve it."

"You don't have to deserve our hospitality," Helena smiled. "As royals, it is important that we show kindness to everyone. And besides, you have done more than enough to earn our kindness either way by looking after our brother at school."

She's so kind, Elmer thought. Her smile is so pretty that it makes me even more nervous! I'm so afraid I'll say the wrong thing and insinuate something about her illness and end up unintentionally offending her!

"I can't even think of anything to say for your amusement," he said sullenly.

"Elmer, it's not like that!" Kai told him. "I only…"

He stopped talking when he noticed that Leonhard had invaded Elmer's personal space and simply stared him down. Then quick as lightning, Leonhard snatched up Elmer's uneaten slice of torte and began stuffing it into his mouth.

Helena put her palm to her face.

"You left it untouched too long, so you forfeited it to me," he said innocently.

"Leo!" Helena exclaimed. "You should know not to take other people's food by now! You're 15 years old!"

"Leo, were you eyeing it this whole time?!" Licht asked. "I knew you were too quiet!"

"How could you do something so gluttonous?!" Bruno accused.

Leonhard paled a little. "Dear brother, but I…"

Licht patted Bruno's shoulder with a knowing smile. "You should know better. Brunie snaps at the littlest thing when food's involved. One time we got into a huge fight simply because I took his apple pie!"

"It was not about the pie!" Bruno exploded. "As I've told you time and again, I cannot abide how you always take things without permission! It was in no way related to my appetite!"

"Oh, really?" Licht smirked.

"Dearest brother Bruno!" Leonhard wailed.

"Boys, get ahold of yourselves!" Helena scolded. "You are in the presence of company! Can't you just act civilized for once?"

"Your sister is correct," Heine said calmly. "You are quarrelling in front of a guest."

All of the princes immediately stopped fighting and looked at Elmer who had gone extremely quiet.